What matters to cardiac patients? The impact of linking life goals to health goals on patients' intention‐to‐change‐lifestyle: an online experiment

OBJECTIVES: Guidelines advocate goal setting for promoting lifestyle changes in cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients. This study investigates 1) preferences in health and life goal domains in CVD patients, 2) the impact of linking life goals to health goals on intention-to-change-lifestyle and explores 3) socio-demographic and health-related variables influencing intention-to-change-lifestyle. DESIGN: Online experimental study. METHODS: Patients (N = 629, mean age 66.6; 39% female) were randomized to health-goal-group (HG) or life-and-health-goal-group (LHG). HG set a health goal, and LHG first established a life goal and then set a supporting health goal. Directly after goal setting, the primary outcome, intention-to-change-lifestyle, was measured and analysed using logistic regression (high: 9-10 vs. lower: ≤8.5), as were the secondary outcomes. RESULTS: (1) = 8.85, p = .003; OR = 2.05, 95%CI [1.27-3.30]. The direct effect of goal-setting condition on intention-to-change-lifestyle was non-significant (OR = .98, 95%CI [.71-1.34], p = .88). In exploratory analyses, lower- and medium-educated patients showed significantly higher intention when life and health goals were linked (OR = 2.55, 95%CI [1.03-6.27], p = .04, and OR = 2.47, 95%CI [1.15-5.30], p = .02, respectively). Perceived meaning in life was positively associated with intention. CONCLUSIONS: No main effect of goal-setting condition on intention-to-change-lifestyle was found. Linking life goals to health goals increased preference for stress management and, in exploratory analyses, was associated with higher intention-to-change-lifestyle among lower- and medium-educated patients. Findings emphasize the relevance of personalized, value-based goal setting within cardiac rehabilitation.